Roush seeks first win for new Nationwide car

By Amanda Vincent, NASCAR reporter

Roush Fenway Racing also looks to claim 18th national series win at Bristol

When the NASCAR Nationwide Series hits Bristol Motor Speedway for Saturday's running of the Scotts EZ Seed 300, the series drivers from Roush Fenway Racing will get the first shot at claiming the organization's 18th NASCAR national-level win at the eastern Tennessee racetrack.

Carl Edwards

Photo by: Action Sports Photography

All four manufacturers represented in NASCAR have won in Nationwide Series competition on the Bristol high banks in the last four series races there, but Ford -- the manufacturer of choice for Roush Fenway Racing -- has yet to visit victory lane in the new Nationwide Series car after seven races (four last season and the three races so far in 2011). Roush Fenway Racing, though, captured Ford's last Bristol win in the Nationwide Series -- David Ragan in the fall 2009 race -- and the best finishes, to this point, for Ford in the new car -- second-place showings by Carl Edwards last season at Michigan International Speedway and a few weeks ago at Phoenix International Raceway.

But Saturday's race at Bristol will be the first race for the new car there.

"We are bringing the new Nationwide car to Bristol for the first time, so things may get interesting this weekend," Roush Fenway driver Trevor Bayne said. "We are confident we will be able to dial in the car by race time and compete at a very high level."

Ragan, RFR's most recent Bristol Nationwide race winner, won't be in Saturday's Nationwide event to possibly get a second series win at the track, but Edwards will be. In total, Roush Fenway will have three cars in Saturday's race, the No. 60 of Edwards, along with the No. 16 of Bayne and the No. 6 of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

"I think this race is going to be really tough," Edwards said. "The Nationwide field seems closer than ever."

We are bringing the new Nationwide car to Bristol for the first time

Trevor Bayne

Of the 17 NASCAR wins Roush Fenway Racing has already racked up at Bristol Motor Speedway, five of them came in Nationwide Series competition. One of those belongs to Edwards, coming in the March race there in 2007. He's also credited with three other wins for Roush Fenway at Bristol, two at the Sprint Cup level and one in Camping World Truck Series competition.

Meanwhile, his teammates Bayne and Stenhouse Jr. are looking for their first-career Nationwide Series wins. For Bayne, a win at Bristol would mean celebrating that first series win in front of the home crowd for the native of Knoxville, Ten.

"I am looking forward to running well in front of those people that have supported me since day one," Bayne said.

The green flag is expected to wave for the start of the Scotts EZ Seed 300 at 2 p.m. ET Saturday. It can be seen live on ESPN.